The Sudanese drama Goodbye Julia is continuing its impressive awards run, earning the Grand Jury Award for Best Narrative Feature over the weekend at the Sonoma International Film Festival in California.
Mohamed Kordofani directed the story set in the context of the secessionist movement that led to the establishment of the independent nation of South Sudan in 2011.
“We commend the festival for its impressive selection of narrative features and unanimously select Goodbye Julia as the best film,” jurors wrote. “An outstanding first feature from Mohamed Kordofani, anchored by two stellar performances from Eiman Yousif and Siran Riak, Goodbye Julia provides a glimpse into a culture and region that’s underrepresented and underexplored in contemporary cinema.”
The jury, comprised of Rosa Bosch (Begin Again Films), Tyler Coates (The Hollywood Reporter), Rebecca Fisher (Magnolia Pictures), Jason Hellerstein (Sideshow), and Julie Huntsinger (Telluride Film Festival), awarded a Special Mention to Hesitation Wound, describing...
Mohamed Kordofani directed the story set in the context of the secessionist movement that led to the establishment of the independent nation of South Sudan in 2011.
“We commend the festival for its impressive selection of narrative features and unanimously select Goodbye Julia as the best film,” jurors wrote. “An outstanding first feature from Mohamed Kordofani, anchored by two stellar performances from Eiman Yousif and Siran Riak, Goodbye Julia provides a glimpse into a culture and region that’s underrepresented and underexplored in contemporary cinema.”
The jury, comprised of Rosa Bosch (Begin Again Films), Tyler Coates (The Hollywood Reporter), Rebecca Fisher (Magnolia Pictures), Jason Hellerstein (Sideshow), and Julie Huntsinger (Telluride Film Festival), awarded a Special Mention to Hesitation Wound, describing...
- 3/25/2024
- by Matthew Carey
- Deadline Film + TV
Mohamed Kordofani’s Sudanese title previously opened strongly in Egypt.
Mohamed Kordofani’s Goodbye Julia, which became the first Sudanese feature to ever play at Cannes earlier this year, has achieved another first following its release across the Gulf.
The film has recorded box office of $349,000 from 27,000 admissions following its release by Mad Solutions in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman and Bahrain on December 7 and in the UAE on December 14 across a total of 84 screens. This is a record for a non-Egyptian or non-Saudi arthouse film in the Gcc.
Saudi accounted for 40% of total takings from 37 screens while the UAE represented 30% of revenues from 27 screens.
Mohamed Kordofani’s Goodbye Julia, which became the first Sudanese feature to ever play at Cannes earlier this year, has achieved another first following its release across the Gulf.
The film has recorded box office of $349,000 from 27,000 admissions following its release by Mad Solutions in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman and Bahrain on December 7 and in the UAE on December 14 across a total of 84 screens. This is a record for a non-Egyptian or non-Saudi arthouse film in the Gcc.
Saudi accounted for 40% of total takings from 37 screens while the UAE represented 30% of revenues from 27 screens.
- 12/22/2023
- by Michael Rosser
- ScreenDaily
When writer-director Mohamed Kordofani first conceived of the film “Goodbye Julia,” he realized that he didn’t have a single friend from South Sudan — “and there are millions who live in Khartoum.” Now he has hundreds, he tells Variety. The first Sudanese film to premiere in the Un Certain Regard sidebar in Cannes, his debut feature won the Prix de la Liberté and is now the official Sudanese entry for the Academy Awards, with Lupita Nyong’o on board as an executive producer. The film had its Middle East and North Africa premiere this week at El Gouna Film Festival, where Kordofani was awarded the Variety Mena Region Talent Award.
Originally trained as an aircraft engineer, Kordofani had an epiphany while working in the Gulf which proved to be the genesis for the film: “My wife was pregnant with my second daughter and we needed a maid. The agency presented us...
Originally trained as an aircraft engineer, Kordofani had an epiphany while working in the Gulf which proved to be the genesis for the film: “My wife was pregnant with my second daughter and we needed a maid. The agency presented us...
- 12/18/2023
- by John Bleasdale
- Variety Film + TV
To make a film critical of oneself and the values instilled in you by family and society is not an easy task. But that’s exactly what Mohamed Kordofani set out to do with Goodbye Julia. “I wanted this to be a mirror for Sudanese people. I think we, as a community, care too much about how people view us but we don’t care at all about what the people we oppress think.”
The film–screening for free this Tuesday, December 12 as part of Film Independent Presents!–tackles the macro issues of racism, colorism and prejudice within Sudan while concentrating on the growing friendship between two women in Khartoum. The first Mona (Eiman Yousef) is a privileged Sudanese housewife of Arab descent. The other, Julia (Siran Riak), is a poor woman originally from South Sudan and of African descent who ends up being her maid.
Like an Asghar Farhadi...
The film–screening for free this Tuesday, December 12 as part of Film Independent Presents!–tackles the macro issues of racism, colorism and prejudice within Sudan while concentrating on the growing friendship between two women in Khartoum. The first Mona (Eiman Yousef) is a privileged Sudanese housewife of Arab descent. The other, Julia (Siran Riak), is a poor woman originally from South Sudan and of African descent who ends up being her maid.
Like an Asghar Farhadi...
- 12/7/2023
- by Murtada Elfadl
- Film Independent News & More
Lupita Nyong’o has joined Goodbye Julia, Sudan’s entry for this year’s Best International feature race at the Oscars, as an executive producer.
Directed by Sudanese filmmaker Mohamed Kordofani in his feature film debut, the pic explores the events leading up the 2011 split between Sudan’s southern and northern populations. The film made history in Cannes this year as the first Sudanese film to play in the festival after it was selected for Un Certain Regard.
The film’s Cannes premiere took place just weeks after fighting broke out in Khartoum due to a clash between rival generals, which has led to the deaths of 5,000 people and uprooted seven million people.
Since Cannes, the film has also played at Karlovy Vary in its Horizons section and had been set to make its Mena premiere at Egypt’s El Gouna Film Festival in October ahead of a theatrical release in...
Directed by Sudanese filmmaker Mohamed Kordofani in his feature film debut, the pic explores the events leading up the 2011 split between Sudan’s southern and northern populations. The film made history in Cannes this year as the first Sudanese film to play in the festival after it was selected for Un Certain Regard.
The film’s Cannes premiere took place just weeks after fighting broke out in Khartoum due to a clash between rival generals, which has led to the deaths of 5,000 people and uprooted seven million people.
Since Cannes, the film has also played at Karlovy Vary in its Horizons section and had been set to make its Mena premiere at Egypt’s El Gouna Film Festival in October ahead of a theatrical release in...
- 11/9/2023
- by Zac Ntim
- Deadline Film + TV
Oscar-winning actor Lupita Nyong’o is stepping into an executive producer role to support Sudan’s second-ever Academy Award international feature film submission, “Goodbye Julia.”
The timely film, directed by Sudanese filmmaker Mohamed Kordofani, takes place just before the 2011 secession of South Sudan and won the Un Certain Regard section’s Prix de Liberté (Freedom Prize) at Cannes.
“‘Goodbye Julia’ is a powerful representation of the conflict happening in Sudan right now, which affects millions of lives across Eastern Africa,” Nyong’o said in a statement. “Mohamed Kordofani and the filmmakers present the issues in a beautiful, deeply personal way. I’m honored to lend my voice to help bring this film’s message to the world.”
Nyong’o, who played played Nakia in Marvel’s “Black Panther” franchise, will next be seen starring in Paramount’s “A Quiet Place” horror franchise spinoff “A Quiet Place: Day One,” written and directed by Michael Sarnoski.
The timely film, directed by Sudanese filmmaker Mohamed Kordofani, takes place just before the 2011 secession of South Sudan and won the Un Certain Regard section’s Prix de Liberté (Freedom Prize) at Cannes.
“‘Goodbye Julia’ is a powerful representation of the conflict happening in Sudan right now, which affects millions of lives across Eastern Africa,” Nyong’o said in a statement. “Mohamed Kordofani and the filmmakers present the issues in a beautiful, deeply personal way. I’m honored to lend my voice to help bring this film’s message to the world.”
Nyong’o, who played played Nakia in Marvel’s “Black Panther” franchise, will next be seen starring in Paramount’s “A Quiet Place” horror franchise spinoff “A Quiet Place: Day One,” written and directed by Michael Sarnoski.
- 11/9/2023
- by Nick Vivarelli
- Variety Film + TV
Mohamed Kordofani’s Khartoum-set drama Goodbye Julia made history at Cannes earlier this year as the first Sudanese feature to play in the festival across its 76 editions.
Six months on, the film is achieving a new first at the Egyptian box office.
The drama took the top slot on its opening day on October 25 on just nine screens, ahead of Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon, which was on its second week on release on around 25 screens.
Widening out to some 25 screens, Goodbye Julia drew 13,135 spectators for a gross of $33,650 in its first week, according to locally collated figures.
By comparison, Killers of the Flower Moon went on to take $41,000 in the same week, for a total Egyptian gross of $102,000 by the end of its second week on release.
As of November 6, Goodbye Julia had grossed $56,637 in total.
Exploring the events leading up the 2011 schism between Sudan’s southern and northern populations,...
Six months on, the film is achieving a new first at the Egyptian box office.
The drama took the top slot on its opening day on October 25 on just nine screens, ahead of Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon, which was on its second week on release on around 25 screens.
Widening out to some 25 screens, Goodbye Julia drew 13,135 spectators for a gross of $33,650 in its first week, according to locally collated figures.
By comparison, Killers of the Flower Moon went on to take $41,000 in the same week, for a total Egyptian gross of $102,000 by the end of its second week on release.
As of November 6, Goodbye Julia had grossed $56,637 in total.
Exploring the events leading up the 2011 schism between Sudan’s southern and northern populations,...
- 11/6/2023
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- Deadline Film + TV
Sudan has submitted Mohamed Kordofani’s Khartoum-set drama Goodbye Julia for Best International Feature Film at the 96th Academy Awards.
The film made history in Cannes this year as the first Sudanese film to play in the festival after it was selected for Un Certain Regard.
Its premiere took place just weeks after fighting broke out in Khartoum due to a clash between rival generals, which has led to the deaths of 5,000 people and uprooted seven million people.
Since Cannes, the film has also played at Karlovy Vary in its Horizons section and will make its Mena premiere at Egypt’s El Gouna Film Festival in October ahead of a theatrical release in the country on October 25. It has also been selected for the BFI London Film Festival.
The selection was made by the Sudanese National Committee which is operating in exile.
Alaa Karkouti at Mad Solutions, which is handling world sales,...
The film made history in Cannes this year as the first Sudanese film to play in the festival after it was selected for Un Certain Regard.
Its premiere took place just weeks after fighting broke out in Khartoum due to a clash between rival generals, which has led to the deaths of 5,000 people and uprooted seven million people.
Since Cannes, the film has also played at Karlovy Vary in its Horizons section and will make its Mena premiere at Egypt’s El Gouna Film Festival in October ahead of a theatrical release in the country on October 25. It has also been selected for the BFI London Film Festival.
The selection was made by the Sudanese National Committee which is operating in exile.
Alaa Karkouti at Mad Solutions, which is handling world sales,...
- 9/27/2023
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- Deadline Film + TV
Goodbye Julia, the first-ever Sudanese feature to screen at the Cannes Film Festival, has been selected by Sudan to be its second-ever Academy Awards submission for best international feature film.
Earlier this year, the film, directed by Mohamed Kordofani, also won the Un Certain Regard’s freedom prize at Cannes.
Set just before the secession of South Sudan in 2011, Goodbye Julia follows Mona (Eiman Yousif), a well-off woman from the north, who seeks redemption after her husband shoots and kills a southern man. While in distraught, she hires the man’s wife Julia (Siran Riak) as her maid. The film depicts the complicated relationship and differences between Northern and Southern Sudanese communities.
Kordofani previously told The Hollywood Reporter that the film is “about the transformation of someone who realizes that they have been unknowingly racist and want to overcome this racism. A transformation of someone who first abides by social norms and traditions,...
Earlier this year, the film, directed by Mohamed Kordofani, also won the Un Certain Regard’s freedom prize at Cannes.
Set just before the secession of South Sudan in 2011, Goodbye Julia follows Mona (Eiman Yousif), a well-off woman from the north, who seeks redemption after her husband shoots and kills a southern man. While in distraught, she hires the man’s wife Julia (Siran Riak) as her maid. The film depicts the complicated relationship and differences between Northern and Southern Sudanese communities.
Kordofani previously told The Hollywood Reporter that the film is “about the transformation of someone who realizes that they have been unknowingly racist and want to overcome this racism. A transformation of someone who first abides by social norms and traditions,...
- 9/26/2023
- by Carly Thomas
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Mohamed Kordofani made history when his debut feature, Goodbye Julia premiered in Un Certain Regard in May, marking the first-ever Sudanese feature to screen in Cannes. A look at the tense and violent politics his divided nation told through the lens of a quiet domestic drama, the film won over both audiences and critics, and walked away with the section’s prestigious Freedom Award.
The film is set just before the secession of South Sudan in 2011 when Mona (Eiman Yousif), a well-off woman from the north, accidentily hits kills and kills the son of a poor southerner family with her car. The boy’s distraught father chases her back to her home where Mona’s husband — who sees all dark-skinned southerners as “savages” — shoots the man. Distraught and seeking redemption, Mona hires the man’s oblivious wife Julia (Siran Riak) as her maid.
Kordofani spoke to The Hollywood Reporter from...
The film is set just before the secession of South Sudan in 2011 when Mona (Eiman Yousif), a well-off woman from the north, accidentily hits kills and kills the son of a poor southerner family with her car. The boy’s distraught father chases her back to her home where Mona’s husband — who sees all dark-skinned southerners as “savages” — shoots the man. Distraught and seeking redemption, Mona hires the man’s oblivious wife Julia (Siran Riak) as her maid.
Kordofani spoke to The Hollywood Reporter from...
- 7/5/2023
- by Scott Roxborough
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Sudanese director Mohamed Kordofani’s feature debut “Goodbye Julia,” a timely morality tale that takes place just before the 2011 secession of South Sudan and won the Un Certain Regard section’s Prix de Liberté (Freedom Prize) at Cannes, has scored a raft of sales following its launch.
The first Sudanese film ever to screen in Cannes official selection, “Goodbye Julia” is the story of two women — one from the North, the other from the South — who are brought together by fate in a complex relationship that attempts to reconcile differences between northern and southern Sudanese communities in the currently war-ravaged country.
After being picked up by Arp Sélection for France just ahead of its Cannes world premiere in May, the well-received drama has now been sold by pan-Arab distributor Mad Solutions – which moved into international distribution with this title – to the following territories: Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands (September Film...
The first Sudanese film ever to screen in Cannes official selection, “Goodbye Julia” is the story of two women — one from the North, the other from the South — who are brought together by fate in a complex relationship that attempts to reconcile differences between northern and southern Sudanese communities in the currently war-ravaged country.
After being picked up by Arp Sélection for France just ahead of its Cannes world premiere in May, the well-received drama has now been sold by pan-Arab distributor Mad Solutions – which moved into international distribution with this title – to the following territories: Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands (September Film...
- 6/16/2023
- by Nick Vivarelli
- Variety Film + TV
CAA Media Finance has come on board to handle sales in North America on Mohamed Kordofani’s “Goodbye Julia,” the first film from Sudan to launch from the Cannes Film Festival.
CAA will be working in tandem with Egypt-based producer Ali El Arabi’s Ambient Light Films, which holds North American rights for the timely drama that premiered on May 21 in Un Certain Regard.
“Goodbye Julia” takes place just before the 2011 secession of South Sudan. It revolves around two women, one from the north, the other from the south, that are brought together by fate in a complex relationship that attempts to reconcile differences between northern and southern Sudanese communities.
in an interview with Variety, Kordofani expressed the hope that his film “can be the start of a movement for reconciliation between all the Sudanese people” in the war-ravaged country.
Produced by fellow Sudanese filmmaker Amjad Abu Alala — director of “You Will Die at 20,...
CAA will be working in tandem with Egypt-based producer Ali El Arabi’s Ambient Light Films, which holds North American rights for the timely drama that premiered on May 21 in Un Certain Regard.
“Goodbye Julia” takes place just before the 2011 secession of South Sudan. It revolves around two women, one from the north, the other from the south, that are brought together by fate in a complex relationship that attempts to reconcile differences between northern and southern Sudanese communities.
in an interview with Variety, Kordofani expressed the hope that his film “can be the start of a movement for reconciliation between all the Sudanese people” in the war-ravaged country.
Produced by fellow Sudanese filmmaker Amjad Abu Alala — director of “You Will Die at 20,...
- 5/21/2023
- by Nick Vivarelli
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: Egyptian-u.S. company Ambient Light has acquired North American sales rights for Sudanese director Mohamed Kordofani’s Cannes Un Certain Regard title Goodbye Julia, and is teaming with CAA to find North American distribution.
Egyptian producer and director Ali El Arabi’s Cairo and L.A.-based company Ambient Light is one of a number of co-producers on the film alongside lead producer Amjad Abu Alala, who works under the banner of Station Films.
El Arabi is best known internationally for his feature documentary Captains of Za’atari, about two Syrian boys growing up in a refugee camp in Jordan with dreams of becoming soccer stars, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2021.
The film was handled internationally by Dogwoof, which sold the film to Utopia for the U.S.
El Arabi explains that the lessons he learned through the U.S. distribution of Captains of Za’atari...
Egyptian producer and director Ali El Arabi’s Cairo and L.A.-based company Ambient Light is one of a number of co-producers on the film alongside lead producer Amjad Abu Alala, who works under the banner of Station Films.
El Arabi is best known internationally for his feature documentary Captains of Za’atari, about two Syrian boys growing up in a refugee camp in Jordan with dreams of becoming soccer stars, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2021.
The film was handled internationally by Dogwoof, which sold the film to Utopia for the U.S.
El Arabi explains that the lessons he learned through the U.S. distribution of Captains of Za’atari...
- 5/21/2023
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- Deadline Film + TV
Paris-based distributor Arp Sélection has snapped up the timely Sudanese drama “Goodbye Julia” for French distribution ahead of its Cannes Un Certain Regard premiere next week.
The film, which is Sudanese director Mohamed Kordofani’s feature debut, marks the first feature from Sudan to bow from the Croisette and takes place just before the 2011 secession of South Sudan. In “Goodbye Julia,” two women — one from the North, the other from the South — are brought together by fate in a complex relationship that attempts to reconcile differences between northern and southern Sudanese communities.
in an interview with Variety, Kordofani expressed the hope that his film “Can be the start of a movement for reconciliation between all the Sudanese people” in the war-ravaged country.
The two central roles are played respectively by Eiman Yousif and Sudanese supermodel Siran Riak (pictured above), making her big-screen acting debut. The cast also includes Nazar Goma and Ger Duany,...
The film, which is Sudanese director Mohamed Kordofani’s feature debut, marks the first feature from Sudan to bow from the Croisette and takes place just before the 2011 secession of South Sudan. In “Goodbye Julia,” two women — one from the North, the other from the South — are brought together by fate in a complex relationship that attempts to reconcile differences between northern and southern Sudanese communities.
in an interview with Variety, Kordofani expressed the hope that his film “Can be the start of a movement for reconciliation between all the Sudanese people” in the war-ravaged country.
The two central roles are played respectively by Eiman Yousif and Sudanese supermodel Siran Riak (pictured above), making her big-screen acting debut. The cast also includes Nazar Goma and Ger Duany,...
- 5/11/2023
- by Nick Vivarelli
- Variety Film + TV
Khartoum-set drama Goodbye Julia will make history in Cannes this year as the first Sudanese film to play in the festival across its 76 editions.
Director Mohamed Kordofani belongs to a wave of filmmakers that emerged in the wake of Sudan’s 2019 revolution, ending the 30-year rule of dictator Omar al-Bashir.
Efforts to build a civil democracy have since stalled following a military coup in October 2021 led by General Abdel Fattah Abdelrahman al-Burhani, although pro-democracy activists had continued to protest until recently.
The rift between al-Burhani and rival General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo has dealt a fresh blow as their respective forces clash in Khartoum, forcing hundreds of thousands of people to flee in recent weeks
Goodbye Julia is not focused on Sudan’s recent history, but rather on events leading up to the 2011 South Sudan Independence referendum, in which 99% of the Southerners polled voted in favor of the region seceding from the north.
Director Mohamed Kordofani belongs to a wave of filmmakers that emerged in the wake of Sudan’s 2019 revolution, ending the 30-year rule of dictator Omar al-Bashir.
Efforts to build a civil democracy have since stalled following a military coup in October 2021 led by General Abdel Fattah Abdelrahman al-Burhani, although pro-democracy activists had continued to protest until recently.
The rift between al-Burhani and rival General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo has dealt a fresh blow as their respective forces clash in Khartoum, forcing hundreds of thousands of people to flee in recent weeks
Goodbye Julia is not focused on Sudan’s recent history, but rather on events leading up to the 2011 South Sudan Independence referendum, in which 99% of the Southerners polled voted in favor of the region seceding from the north.
- 5/10/2023
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- Deadline Film + TV
Sudanese director Mohamed Kordofani will soon be in Cannes with “Goodbye Julia,” a drama that he says reflects the “systematic racism” that led to the secession of South Sudan in 2011 and is, albeit indirectly, closely connected with the conflict that erupted in the country in April.
The powerful film, which is premiering in Un Certain Regard, marks the first Sudanese feature to bow from the Croisette. But there is an even greater historic significance to “Goodbye Julia,” in which two women – one from the North, the other from the South – are brought together by fate in a complex relationship that attempts to reconcile differences between northern and southern Sudanese communities. It’s the hope that “it can be the start of a movement for reconciliation between all the Sudanese people,” Kordofani says.
Produced by fellow Sudanese filmmaker Amjad Abu Alala — director of “You Will Die at 20,” which became Sudan...
The powerful film, which is premiering in Un Certain Regard, marks the first Sudanese feature to bow from the Croisette. But there is an even greater historic significance to “Goodbye Julia,” in which two women – one from the North, the other from the South – are brought together by fate in a complex relationship that attempts to reconcile differences between northern and southern Sudanese communities. It’s the hope that “it can be the start of a movement for reconciliation between all the Sudanese people,” Kordofani says.
Produced by fellow Sudanese filmmaker Amjad Abu Alala — director of “You Will Die at 20,” which became Sudan...
- 5/8/2023
- by Nick Vivarelli
- Variety Film + TV
Mohamed Kordofani’s debut feature will premiere in Un Certain Regard.
Pan-Arab outfit Mad Solutions is moving into international sales and has acquired worldwide rights to Mohamed Kordofani’s debut feature Goodbye Julia, the first Sudanese film ever to be selected by the Cannes Film Festival.
The film will receive its world premiere in the Un Certain Regard section of the festival, which announced its lineup today.
Set in Khartoum ahead of Sudan’s division into two separate countries in 2011, the drama explores the differences between their two populations through two women hailing from the north and south of the country.
Pan-Arab outfit Mad Solutions is moving into international sales and has acquired worldwide rights to Mohamed Kordofani’s debut feature Goodbye Julia, the first Sudanese film ever to be selected by the Cannes Film Festival.
The film will receive its world premiere in the Un Certain Regard section of the festival, which announced its lineup today.
Set in Khartoum ahead of Sudan’s division into two separate countries in 2011, the drama explores the differences between their two populations through two women hailing from the north and south of the country.
- 4/13/2023
- by Michael Rosser
- ScreenDaily
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